The Inner Life

THERE are many evidences that children of today are often much older and wiser souls than their parents, and unless parents recognize this and try to adjust their ideas accordingly when striving to understand their youngsters, there is not much chance of their getting anywhere in dealing with them.

As the child grows older and develops individuality is when it must be watched and studied the most carefully. Then is when its love and respect for its parent—if such are developed and encouraged—will permit of wise instruction and guidance. On the other hand, if such are not developed, through failure of parents to call it forth, because of negligence and being too interested in their own affairs, having allowed the child to go its way unrestrained without loving counsel or correction, they can wonder that their wits’ end?

Many of such children, being old souls, are here at this time to do a certain work, probably in connection with the New Age. This being the case, having already a large fund of knowledge at their command, gained through many lifetimes spent in developing other instruments for their use, you wonder at their minds rebelling at some of the childish lessons they are required to learn and at their refusing to study them? It is because they instinctively know these things, and can call upon such knowledge whenever needed, without the foolish compulsion of repeated study. This is proved by when they do study, they quickly learn and easily surpass their fellows.

The great trouble is with our school systems requiring all students, regardless of their special traits, adaptability, or innate understanding, to be shaped in the same mould and to be stuffed with the same teachings; instead of drawing forth from within each individual soul what is already there waiting to come into expression when aided by wise suggestion and given incentive, and then directing and utilizing it to the highest good of the child and its maturing of its character and preparing it for the work it came here to do.

If parents would realize this and, by gaining the confidence of the child, would wisely draw from the inner cause of its rebellion, instead of condemning it and compelling it to do what it